Secrets
by soulevans31
Summary: A story about what would happen if Ben 10 and Astro Boy 2009 movie meet where their both trying to hide something.
1. The Phone Call

**I was going through the reviews that I have gotten for this story and realized I seriously needed to update. But I decided to improve on the chapters that were already there so please reread these chapters! 8/4/13**

**I just made some corrections and added more detail, if you don't want to reread it, don't worry nothing major was changed, but I would still recommend reading it. 1/25/14**

We were driving down another 2-lane freeway somewhere in the middle of no-where just like every other day. Outside just seemed to only consist of swirling masses of dust and the occasional dead plant. We had been driving the entire day and had almost arrived to our next stop. We had managed to avoid the usual alien attacks for the last few days, but this only made us more on edge. Even though the thought of kicking alien butt seemed extremely tempting, I didn't want to jinx the new found calm, even if it was utterly boring.

Gwen hadn't been helpful in quelling my boredom either. She was reading her stupid magic book from dawn till dusk. She wasn't interested in doing anything but reading. Not that I wanted her attention, but the boredom was just so… boring.

We had hit a period of time where the only sound was the wheels against the asphalt and the occasional flip of a page. Gwen was reading at the table and I was sitting across from her merely looking out the window in what, you guessed it, boredom. When the sharp sound of ringing penetrated the quiet we all jumped. As Grandpa grabbed his cell phone and started talking his demeanor changed from apprehensive to excited.

"Yes that seems like a wonderful idea… I'm sure they'll be happy to have the company… So we'll pick him up at the airport then…"

As he continued to seemingly make plans with whoever was on the other end of the call, Gwen's attention, which had been dragged from her book when the phone rang, now focused it on me with curiosity.

"What's he up to now?" she asked putting her book down in favor of leaning closer to try to hear better.

"Don't know, I just hope it doesn't involve our dinner," I said as I made a disgusted face at her, remembering all of the dinners he had served us.

"I swear, sometimes, I wish I was adopted," she replied, rolling her eyes at me for the hundredth time. Not being satisfied with what see could hear from her seat she got up and went to stand next to Grandpa, with me following close behind.

"So it's settled then, we'll meet him in Correctionville tomorrow… It was nice talking to you doctor… Bye." As he put down the phone he noticed our confused faces.

"Who was that," I started.

"And who are we meeting." Gwen finished.

"That was an old friend of mine and he wanted to know if I could take in his coworkers son for a couple of weeks," he said with a more than chipper tone," I figured you guys would like the company."

"Does he know about aliens or are we going to have to hide the fact that Ben can turn into one." She asked apprehensively.

"He doesn't know about hat but with this lapse in alien activity we've been having I thought it would be okay," Grandpa answered with a slightly less chipper tone.

"So, what's this kid's name anyway," I asked getting a sort of strange foreboding feeling.

"I believe his name was Toby."


	2. Arrival

**I updated the chapter, I recommend rereading it, the quality is improved and some lesser plot points have been altered. 1/26/14 **

**This chapter has been revised! 8/5/13**

**Sorry about the wait I had school **_**ugh **_**and sorry about the last chapter being so short, I just didn't want to give too much away. This chapter is much longer. I now present… CHAPTER 2! Enjoy :D**

**Astro's POV**

My dad, Dr. Tenma, the leading expert on robotics, wanted me to get away from Metro City for a while and meet new people. I didn't want to because I was tired of trying to hide that I was a robot every time I was around people. Since I had saved Metro City, they had everyone had accepted me for who I was. I wanted to spend quality time with my new friends, especially Cora, but my dad insisted on me going. So here I am on a plane to God knows where, to stay with God knows who. On top of that, my dad wants me to keep my "condition" under raps because the people I'm staying with aren't accustomed to robots. Who isn't accustomed to robots, I mean they're everywhere in Metro City.

The plane lands and I get off to go and wait for the people who I'm supposed to stay with for the next two weeks. I find an empty seat next to some guy in a suit so focused on his phone that I doubt he would have noticed if one of the planes outside started doing a tap dance.

I glance at a photo my dad had given me so that could recognize the people who I'm going to stay with. In the photo there is an aging man in a Hawaiian shirt next to two kids. A boy with brown hair and green eyes wearing a white shirt with a black stripe down the middle and a girl with orange hair and green eyes wearing a blue shirt. As I glanced around I spotted them turning the corner, standing up I slowly made my way in their direction.

**Ben's POV **

As we walked into the waiting area this kid, who looked about my age with black hair in two distinct spikes, red boots and blues jeans with a light blue jacket, asked us if we were the Tennyson's.

"We sure are, and you must be Toby." Grandpa said with his usual friendly smile holding out his hand to shake.

"I am but, please, call me Astro," he said, shyly accepting the handshake.

There was something about him I just couldn't place, but I brushed it off figuring that I had gone too long without a fight and I was just in edge.

"Cool name, modern, a little space age, I love it. I'm Ben." I said then motioned to Gwen, "This is Gwen, my annoying cousin."

"Well it's not like you're a golden child or anything," she remarked back while not so lightly punching his shoulder. A sickly sweet smile lighting up her face when I made a not so manly grunt of pain.

"Oh shut up, will you", I said back.

**Astro's POV**

As I stood there watching their exchange I noticed the watch on Ben's wrist. I don't know why but it gave me a sort of unsettled feeling. Wanting to make sure that my feeling was just that, a feeling, I promised myself that I would scan his watch later that night when they were all asleep.

As we loaded into their RV, which for some reason they called the Rustbucket, very proudly too, I had been looking around to see if there were any robots. There weren't. I decided to ask Ben about it.

"So, Ben, do you have any robots around here." I asked as I sat down next to him.

"I guess we have some but they're not very advanced." He awkwardly responded. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to robots." I answered quickly, trying to not make him suspicious of me.

So that better explains why dad didn't want me to tell them about me, they wouldn't be prepared for a robot of my sophistication, they would probably think I was crazy unless they saw for themselves. At that moment I promised myself I wouldn't let them find out about me.

**Ben's POV **

Later that day we pulled into a small town just inside the Nevada border. We're going to spend the night then try to make it to California in the next couple of days.

When I saw Grandpa getting ready to prepare dinner I came up with a rather ingenious way to avoid suffering through his cooking.

"Hey Grandpa, shouldn't we let our guest decide what we should have for dinner tonight?" I asked loud enough to alert Gwen of the impending doom if my plan fails.

"What a great idea Ben, how very kind of you. So, Astro, what would you like to eat tonight?" Grandpa asked looking at Astro.

"I'm really okay with anything," he said hesitantly, "I'm actually not very hungry."

Then I heard Gwen pipe up from the back of the RV, "How about pizza?" she asked understanding that her help was required for the success of the mission.

Astro looked at us with a confused face but we made _please go along with us, we'll explain later_ faces, he responded by saying, "That sounds great."

Gwen and I let out huge sighs.

As we were walking into the towns' only pizza place I caught up to Astro ready explain.

"Hey Astro, I just wanted to let you know that we roped you into agreeing with us since the meals that Grandpa cooks are the grossest things, like grubs and squirrels," I said looking at him as seriously as I could to let him know I wasn't joking.

**Astro's POV**

"Oh, okay, then I'll try my best to help out while I'm here," I said completely understanding. I didn't even have a stomach and I felt nauseated at the thought of eating any of that stuff. I practically shivered in disgust.

"But why aren't you hungry, its been like five hours since we picked you up from the airport, right?" Ben asked curiously.

The question caught me off guard and I got a little panicked, "Oh, that, its just that I had an enormous meal on the plane!" I said way too excitedly, making erratic movements with my hands to try and demonstrate how big this meal had been. But as soon as I saw the look of confused suspicion flash across his face I knew it was all over.


	3. Suspicoins

**I'm ssoooooo sorry for not updating sooner but I got distracted and lazy…. I want to give a shout out to silverpedals1402, moviegal99, and GTOman25 for your reviews. They really helped my push through and finish this chapter. Well I hope all forgive me since I have a new chapter for you!**

Ben's POV

As Astro answered he looked all panicky. It seemed liked a strange question for that type of reaction, but then I started to wonder if this reaction was because he had something to hide. I needed to find out who Grandpa's 'old friend' was. But first I had to share my suspicions with Gwen.

"Hey Gwen, do you think Astro is hiding something?" I whispered.

"Yes, I think," she pauses and looks dramatically to the sides, "he's a… GHOST set on killing us in our sleep and taking revenge!" she bursts out laughing practically falling on the floor.

"Why did I even bother asking you, of course you would be no help!" I said starting to walk away when she grabbed my arm still giggling.

"No, seriously, what do you think dweeb," she looked at me finally getting serious.

"Well, when I asked him why he wasn't hungry in the first place, he got this really strange look on his face like it was the worst thing I could have said at that moment then answered like he was trying to hide his reaction." As I finished I noticed Gwen look over my shoulder towards Astro.

"I think we should go outside…" Gwen whispered with a pointing look at Astro," Grandpa, can we talk to you outside for a moment." As we got up I noticed Astro's expression. It looked like a mix between fear, confusion and knowing.

" What's up kiddos," Grandpa said as soon as the door closed," has something happened with the omnitrix?"

" No but I was wondering who exactly your 'old friend' was who called you and how you know him," I looked at him, trying (and failing) to read his reaction to the question.

"Oh, his name is Dr. Elefun and I worked with him briefly while I was with the plumbers. Why?" he seemed slightly concerned now.

"That might explain the unusual behavior, but did his friend ever work with the plumbers?" Gwen seemed to be supporting my theory but I still wasn't convinced she wasn't just fooling with me.

"I don't believe he ever worked with the plumbers but I'm just not sure. Now, why do you want to know this now." He looked at us with his ' what are you getting yourself into' face.

"Don't worry Grandpa, it's just a hunch I have." I looked at him all smug like. After we came back in the RV I could tell that Astro was trying not to be concerned but it was still written all over his face.

"Hey, dweeb, you forgot to ask Grandpa who his dad is."

"Well I didn't see your mouth sewn shut!" I couldn't believe what she had just said to me. Like I was the only one talking out there.

"It is your theory mister smarty pants." She said as she started walking towards the back of the RV, " Now you have to ask him yourself. I knew that now I HAD to ask him because, unless you were deaf, there's no way he couldn't have heard that.

Astro's POV

I realized that Ben had gotten suspicious when he started to talk to Gwen about it. I didn't think she would believe him at least not as fast as she did. When they went outside I didn't want to encroach on their privacy but I needed to know if they had figured it out.

"was wondering who exactly your 'old friend' was who called you and how you know him," this was who I assumed to be Ben.

"Oh, his name is Dr. Elefun and I worked with him briefly while I was with the plumbers. Why?" so it had been Dr. Elefun that had arranged this all. Why was Max talking about plumbers. This didn't make sense.

"That might explain the unusual behavior, but did his friend ever work with the plumbers?" This must be an inside thing but why were they connecting his strange behavior with it.

"I don't believe he ever worked with the plumbers but I'm just not sure. Now, why do you want to know this now." So maybe these plumbers are an organization or group.

"Don't worry Grandpa, it's just a hunch I have." Great at least they don't suspect anything. Oh no, their coming back in. He brought his hearing back to normal as they came back in. He looked back down to the book he had been reading.

"Hey, dweeb, you forgot to ask Grandpa who his dad is."

"Well I didn't see your mouth sewn shut!" Ben looked so offended and I could tell they were talking about me too. It wasn't even like they were trying to hide the fact that they had just been talking about me. As Ben walked over to me he plopped down in the seat across from me. I could tell he was just fuming.

"I can't believe her nerve to accuse me of not saying something when she could just as easily said it herself! She's just so high and mighty misses A+ in every class!" Ben just started releasing his pent up anger. It was quite a site.

After he had calmed down I asked, "So Ben, tell me about yourself." He seemed surprised by the question but didn't seem to mind.

"Well, I live with my mom and dad in Bellwood the most boringest town EVER, my favorite thing is Sumo Slammers and I suck at anything school related. What about you?" he looked at me with genuine curiosity.

"I live in Metro City, my dad is Bill Tenma and I'm a genius."

"Wait did you say your dad is Bill Tenma. The head of robotics at the Ministry of Science. I read online that his son took after him as far as intelligence goes. I also read that his son had died in a horrible accident at the Peacekeeper demonstration about two weeks ago. Now your saying that his only son that is suppose to be dead is sitting right in front of us now." I had no response for Gwen. How she knew that much I wasn't sure but if she could find out that much on the internet, what else could she find if she looked hard enough.

" Alright kiddos its time for bed." Luckily Max came and gave me a reason not to answer Gwen's question.

I was on a futon on the floor, which didn't bother me at all. I laid there awake wondering whether or not they would figure it out. They definitely had enough information they just needed to piece it all together. As I kept thinking about it I slowly drifted off to sleep. If a robot could even do that.

3am

I slowly woke up remembering my promise to myself to scan Ben's watch. I figured that they should all be asleep by now. I was right. Ben's hand was hanging off the edge of his bed making it easy to scan. I slowly crept over to him making as little sound as possible. Once I was there I had this overwhelming feeling that someone was watching him but as he looked at their faces he could tell that none of them were. Brushing off the felling as a guilty conscious I lightly grabbed Ben's hand and turned his wrist slowly as I scanned it. I was amazed at what I saw. The technology in his watch was completely alien to me. I couldn't tell what it did or even what it was. Nothing on Earth was this advanced (not even me). When I was done scanning it I just sat there, staring at this thing that couldn't exist.

**Thank you all for continuing to read my story. Now I've been batting around the idea of a Ben 10 Alien Force and Iron Man Armored Adventures crossover. Tell me what you thought of my story or idea or BOTH by reviewing. Go review NOW. Or you will have a fate so horrible I can't tell you about it. Now review, seriously. **


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